Bristol City may sell Aden Flint this summer but the club are confident, as explained by Lee Johnson at the end of the season (see the above video), that should any key player leave then the Robins have the replacements lined up that will help them move forward.

Cian Bolger is the latest name to be linked with City, with Sky Sports claiming that the defender is the man Johnson wants to replace Aden Flint, should City's goalscring centre-back be snapped up by a bigger fish in the Premier League.

The centre-back was a key player in the second-best defence in League One last season as the Trawlermen finished fourth and ended up in the play-offs, narrowly losing to Bradford City 1-0 on aggregate in the play-offs.

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Aden Flint of Bristol City battles for a high ball with Cian Bolger of Fleetwood Town (Image: Alex James/JMP)

League One season

Bolger started 29 games for Fleetwood Town last season after beginning the season on the bench. In fact he was not in the starting XI for 12 of the opening 13 matches of this season before forcing his way into Uwe Rosler's side.

From then on he played every game apart from two matches in April due to a knee injury sustained against Oldham after teammate Nathan Pond ran into him following a corner.

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Previously Bolger made some 45 appearances over two seasons for Southend United, had a short spell on loan at Bury, and played more than 50 times during a two-year spell at Bristol Rovers.

A cruciate ligament injury back in 2012 ruled the defender out for three months as Rovers boss at the time Mark McGhee bemoaned Bolger's bad luck but praised his commitment.

"He showed where his commitment lies, and it's a great shame for him to be out at this moment in time," said McGhee at the time.

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Bolger originally came through the ranks at Leicester City.

Playing style

At 6ft 4 it's easy to see the similarities between Bolger and the almost 6ft 6 Flint. Both are rangy centre-backs and very capable in the air.

Conor McAleny of Oxford United is closed down by Cian Bolger (Image: Dougie Allward/JMP)

International career

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In February 2013 he helped the Boys in Green to an impressive 3-0 win at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, before featuring in a 2-1 loss to Portugal in March of that same year at Oriel Park, Dundalk.

Meanwhile, Bolger was named as the fans' player of the year at Fleetwood this season as well as the players' player of the season, illustrating the big role the defender plays in the dressing room at the Lancastrian club.